| A | B |
|---|
| blue curtain | the secretive, insulated police culture that isolates officers from the rest of society |
| cynicism | the belief that most people's actions are motivated solely by personal needs and selfishness |
| deadly force | police killing of a suspect who resists arrest or presents a danger to an officer or the community |
| demeanor | the way in which a person outwardly manifests his or her personality |
| discretion | the use of personal decision making and choice in carrying out operations in the criminal justice system |
| double marginality | the social burden that African American police officers carry by being both minority-group members and law enforcement officers |
| grass eater | a term used for a police officer who accepts payoffs when everyday duties place him or her in a position to be solicited by the public |
| Knapp Commission | a public body that conducted an investigation into police corruption in New York City in the early 1970s and uncovered a widespread network of payoffs and bribes |
| low-visibility decision making | decision making by police officers that is not subject to administrative review – for example, when a decision is made not to arrest someone or not to stop a speeding vehicle |
| meat eater | a term used to describe a police officer who actively solicits bribes and vigorously engages in corrupt practices |
| Mollen Commission | an investigative unit set up to inquire into police corruption in New York City in the 1990s |
| overload hypothesis | the theory that police workload influences discretion so that as workload increases, less time and attention can be devoted to new cases, especially petty crimes |
| police brutality | actions such as using abusive language, making threats, using force or coercion unnecessarily, prodding with nightsticks, and stopping and searching people to harass them |
| police styles | the working personalities adopted by police officers that can range from being a social worker in blue to a hard-charging crime fighter |
